Arch support fitter



July 23, 1957 c. A. HANiNGToN 2,799,873

ARCH SUPPORT FITTEP.

Filed Nov. 5, 1955 ARCH SUPPORT FITTER Charles A. Harrington, Freeport, N. Y., assigner to The Scholl Mfg. Co., Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New York Appiication November 3, 1955, Serial No. 544,648

7 Claims. (Cl. 12-l) This invention relates generally to a device f-or fitting 4an arch support to the individual requirements of a foot of a person.

More specifically this invention relates to an arch support fitter device having novel means thereon capable of evenly applying pressure -to an arch support mounted thereon to selectively vary the configuration of the arch support so that when the support is engaged with the plantar surface of the foot between the heel and ball of the foot, the support will evenly -touch all points of the longitudinal arch.

Foot specialists today commonly utilize a leather hammer to reform the arch support to the particular foot specification. It is the purpose of the instant invention to provide novel means for more accurately and uniformly applying force to a given area on the arch support.

Accordingly, it is an object of the instant invention to provide a new and improved device capable of reforming an arch support.

Another object of this invention is to provide an arch support tter with novel means capable of reforming an arch support which means may be reset in a large number of different posit-ions thereby enabling a Wide selective range of adjustments in reforming an arch support to a given specification.

A further object of this invention is to provide an arch tter which lends itself to economical production.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a novel method of reforming an arch support t individual specification. v Y Y A feature of this invention relates tomy novel screw mechanism being mounted on one of two spaced blocks having the arch support securely maintained therebetween and with the screw mechanism being capable of both Vertical and horizontal adjustment through a wide range of different positions.

A further feature of this invention is to provide my novel arch fitter with a screw actuated lever arm having an enlarged head for applying forces against an arch support to reform same according to specification.

While some of t-he more salient fea-tures, characteristics and advantages of the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view with parts broken away showing my novel arch support fitter;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the arch support fitter shown in Figure l having an arch support mounted therein;

-Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation showing one of the selective positions in which the enlarged head is engaged with the arch support; and

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of an arch support.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral 9 indicates generally my novel arch support fitter which is capable of receiving therein a laminated arch support 16 of the 'type shown in Figure 4 2,799,873 Patented July 23, 1957 which has a layer of metal 10a and a layer of protective covering material 10b.

vIt will be appreciated that in order to have proper fitting of an arch support to the longitudinal arch between the heel and the ball portions of a foot, arch portion 11 of the support must evenly engage against the plantar sur-V face of the foot. To this end my novel arch support fitter 9 is adapted to selectively reform predetermined portions of the arch support 10.

My novel arch support lfitter includes a base 12 having mounted thereon a stationary housing or shell 13 with one end open and the other end closed. The open end of the housing or shell 13 is adapted to receive one end of a longitudinally movable member 14 which is supported by base 12. The relative longitudinal movement is affected by reason of a screw mechanism 15 supported at one end by the housing 13 and at the other end by a block 16 carried by the shell 13.

The screw mechanism 15 includes a longitudinally movable screw 17 which extends through housing 13 and has a manually operable adjustment handle 1S at one end on the exterior of the housing 13. lnterrnediately carried upon screw 17 is member 1@ having a headed portion Ztl engaged in a seat 21 in member 14. Hence, upon manipulation of handle 18, member 14 may be actuated longitudinally relative to base 12.

Carried upon the movable member `1li is a second block 22 made of any suitable sturdy material which has an upper surface 23 slightly below the corresponding surface upon block or anvil 16 for purposes hereinafter discussed.

One end of the block 22 is channeled at 24 t0 receive therein a tubular rod 25. The rod 25 may be slid up and down in channel 24 and maintained in a given position through adjustment of a set screw 26.

Carried upon the upper end of tubular rod 25 is a trunnion 2'7 which in tu-rn carries my novel screw mechanism 28. Screw mechanism 28 has a threaded rod 29 with a handle 30 at one end and an enlarged forming head 31 at the other end which may be made or covered with raw hide or other similar material if desired. Upon turning of handle 30 the rod or shaft 29 is progressively moved through a tubular support 32 carried upon trunnion 27. The forming head 31 (Figure 3) is attached to the shaft 29 by means of a split compression ring 33 which is housed within a recess 34 in the head 31. lt will be notedI that the terminal 35 of shaft 29 is enlarged to provide an annular abutment which the ring 33 bears against.

My novel method may be practiced by initially placing an arch support 10 between lthe confronting blocks 1 6 and 22 with the portion to be deformed and worked upon remaining exposed so that the forming head 31 may be levered thereagainst. The remainder of the arch support 1i) is adapted to be nested within con-toured portion 36 thereby allowing the blocks 16 and 22 to be clamped together without damaging or otherwise bending the arch support 10.

Rod 25 is then adjusted by means of set screw 26 to a selected position s0 that the best possible angle may be secured in applying force or pressure upon the arch support 10. The handle 30 of screw mechanism 255 is then manipulated until forming head 31 is loosely engaged against the surface to be deformed. lt will be noted that surface 23 of block 22 is below the corresponding surface of bloc-k 16 to permit free movement of the head. Then upon further manipula-tion of handle 3? the head is forceably urged against the selected portion of the arch support which is ordinarily the longitudinal arch until the portion is reformed to individual specification. in so doing, the shaft 29 rotates while the head 31 (Figure 3) remains stationary by virtue of the pivotal connection between the head 31 and the rod 29. This minimizes maring of the arch support since the head 31 is sustained 3 in'substantially non-rotating relation tothe surface being reformed. In the case of stationary head 31 in Figures l and 2, by covering the head with leather, scratching of the arch support may be keptto a minimum.

YlIt will be appreciated that pressure may be applied upon Y the portion to be reformed at various selective pointsftbyA resetting andV varying the several adjustments providedfor this end.

' In the form-ing operation the anvil or block 1 particularly the portion of anvil 16 which is eleva-teda-bove Y surfaces V23 of block 22 serves as a back-up lwhich aid in the reformation of the arch support. f

It will be understood that modifications and variat'ons may be effected without departing fromV the scope .of the novel concepts of the present invention. A

il claim as my invention: Y

il, In an arch support customizerfai releasable vise including vise'portions for Aclamping and holding an arch 6 andtmore.-

Y said base for supporting therebetween an arch support, and

support, a force applicator mounted on one of said vice portions and having an extendible extension pivotally mounted Vat an inclining anglerelative to said vise forv customizing and reforming selective' portions of an arch support, and releasable means connected vto saidV extension for moving the extension to vary the inclined angle betweenrthe extension and the vise.

2. =In an arch support customize'r, a releasable vise including vise portions for clamping andholdi-ng an arch support, the arch support customizer having a force applicator including anV extendible extension pivotally mounted at an inclined angle rela-tive to said vise for customizing and reforming selectivevportions of an arch support, and a forming terminal pivotally .mounted on said extension to enableV the terminal t0 be maintained stationary thereon against the arch support as the arch.

support is deformed Without marring .the surface of the support.

3. In an arch support customizer, a releasable vise in cluding vise portions for clamping and holding an arch support with one of the portions have a hollowed out area and an elevated portion, aforce applicator carried on said base and having an extendible extension pivotally mounted and extend-ing at an inclined angle toward theelevated PQIion to facilitate in the customizing andl reforming of se-lecti-ve portions of an arch support'with the arch support held between the vise portions in thehollowed out area,` ysaid elevated portion providing a back up for the arch support to facilitate in the reformation-thereof.

4. An arch support customizer for reformingY at least a portion of an arch support comprising, a base, 'a clamp a screw mechanism carried by and extending at yan inclined angle to said base, said mechanism including a sha-ft, a manually operable handle on one end of. said shaft, a pivotally mounted forming head having a recess to receive an end of said shaft, and a, compression ring housed within said recess to maintain said shaft and head in unitary relation whereby said head may be progresively projected against exposed portions of `an arch support to reform to speciiication by manipulating said handle.

6. An archsupport iitter device for reforming at least aY portion ofan' arch supportV comprising, abase, arch support holding means' on said base having portions movable` relative to one another for supporting therebetween an arch' support leaving a Vportion thereofrexposed, and

manually operable'means' positioned above'and extendingKV at an inclined angle relative'to said arch' support holding means for exerting a'force'against an exposed'portion' of an arch support t`o reform same to specifica-tion, oneV of said portions extending' vertically aboveth'e other portion to provide a back-up against which the forceV exerted by the manually operable means is projected against as i-t is being reformed.

' 7. An arch' support tter device which lendsitself to reforming and customizing selective portions of an arch support including releasable means to clamp the .arch support to the device, the improvement comprising arch support deforming' meanscarried on the device which `is vertically and horizontally movable relative toV the Yarch support to enable force to be applied against the arch support atV selective variable angles in customizing and in reforming the arch support tothe specification of a foot.Y

References Cited in the tile of this/patent NITI STATES PATENTS 491,187Y Partyka Feb. 7, '1893 960,910 Hazen June 7, 1910 FOREIGN PATENTS Y 474,272 Great Britain Oct. 28, 1937 541,479 GreatBritain Nov. 28,11941 

